Non-stunned halal meat is being served to schoolchildren in Kirklees, the council has confirmed.

Responding to a Freedom of Information (FoI) request the Labour-run authority has revealed that 40 schools use non-stunned halal meat "as part of their meal service provision".

The council was prompted to outline its position following the FoI request by the campaign group National Secular Society (NSS), which aims to reduce the role of religion on state education.

The revelation led to Conservative councillor Lisa Holmes (Liversedge and Gomersal) tabling a question at last week's meeting of full council.

The question, which was not heard due to time constraints, asked: "Is Kirklees Council the country's biggest user of meat from animals that have their throats slit while fully conscious - despite 80% of all UK halal meat being humanely stunned first, which is accepted by the Halal Food Authority?"

School dinners (Image: publicity picture)

Schools in Kirklees have had the opportunity to choose halal meat as part of their meals provision for a quarter of a century.

The council says its current School Meals Service policy was developed following consultation with parents, children and representatives of the Islamic faith and that the policy is "kept under review".

Last year Lancashire County Council banned meat from animals that have not been stunned from council-supplied school meals.

The move was described as "hugely discriminatory".

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Kirklees Council Cabinet Member for Schools, Clr Masood Ahmed, said: "We all understand that there is a need to offer choice to our Muslim children for religious reasons. "It is within this context that our policy was developed, back in 2006. My understanding is that we used non-stunned [meat] before 2006. The 2006 consultation resulted in the Halal Monitoring Committee (HMC) becoming the accrediting body."

The NSS says the HMC only certifies non-stunned meat as halal.

Responding to Clr Holmes's question Clr Ahmed added: "The HMC endorsement is the accepted standard amongst Muslim communities through choice, resulting in demand for this status.

"I fully understand and I am aware of issues around animal welfare concern and that all children should always have a choice about the food they eat. I take this very seriously and agree with you that no child should be denied choice.

School dinners.

"To be totally clear: Kirklees Council is not the biggest user of non-stunned halal meat. Along with the other West Yorkshire authorities we source our halal meat from the Yorkshire Purchasing Organisation.

"In schools where there is 100% halal, the menus are labelled as such; where there is both, these are clearly labelled with a tent card, separated colour-coded red dishes, and children are supported by schools to know which is which.

"The menus are colour-coded red for halal options and served from red dishes cooked, served and prepared separately. Parents should be informed by schools directly of the particular process for their schools as they vary.

"It is also on our school meal website informing parents to contact their school regarding halal, non halal and special diets."

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Clr Holmes said the council's statement did not address her concerns over animal welfare and whether non-Muslim children were being offered an alternative to halal meat meals.

She added: "The Conservative group is not in support of any non-stunned halal meat in Kirklees' schools. We have no issue with pre-stunned halal meat but where non-stunned is being served there should be an alternative."

"The scientific consensus is that slaughtering animals without stunning them first causes unnecessary suffering. "Councils should be committed to ensuring that the meat they supply is from animals cared for to the highest possible standards, including at the point of slaughter." She added: "The council is making a baseless assumption that Muslims insist on non-stun halal meat. We know this is not true: most halal meat sold in the UK is from stunned animals. "The council shouldn't be allowing one group of hardliners to speak for or dictate the demands of the whole community."